Current Teaching

• MA Design Management - Imagination Lab (LICA429)
• MA Design Management - Major Research Project (LICA426)
• MRes Digital Innovation (HighWire) - Special Topics (HIGH401)

Research Interests

My research interests are based around design futures - the approaches designers use to consider, conceptualise and communicate the future as an intrinsic aspect of design activity. The use of design in a strategic manner underpins much of my research activities. As a trained industrial designer, my research is informed by a clear understanding of the relationship between design theory and practice. I have developed a range of research interests that encompass, but are not limited to: design futures; design strategy; design and trend forecasting; design process; design thinking; design management; product design and development; packaging design; creative design practice; design and innovation; and design pedagogy.

Current Research

2012 

Choi, Y, Lim, S & Evans, M (2012) Supporting Design - National Business Support Programmes in the UK and South Korea. The Design Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 79-104 (in press)

Cruickshank, L & Evans, M (2012) Designing Creative Frameworks: Design Thinking as an Engine for New Facilitation Approaches. International Journal of Arts and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, pp.73?85 (in press)

2011

Lee, Y & Evans, M (2011) Investigating How the FMCG Industry Employs Design-Driven Approaches: The Dichotomy Between Literature and Practice. IASDR2011: Diversity & Unity, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, October-November 2011

Cooper, R & Evans, M (2011) Revisiting Strategy: The Role of Design in Strategy. 1st Cambridge Academic Design Management Conference, Cambridge University, September 2011

Lee, Y & Evans, M (2011) Design-Driven Approaches: The Dichotomy between Corporations and Consultancies. 1st Cambridge Academic Design Management Conference, Cambridge University, September 2011

Jung, J., Evans, M & Cruickshank, L (2011) Is There a Need to Develop Designerly Approaches for Design Management Research and Practice?1st Cambridge Academic Design Management Conference, Cambridge University, September 2011

Evans, M & Thomas, P (2011) Products That Tell Stories: The Use of Semantics in the Development of Future Products. Connecting Design and Business Through Creativity and Innovation: The 13th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, City University, London, UK, September 2011

Spruce, J & Evans, M (2011) The Legacy of Design: What Contribution Does a Degree Make to Your Future Design Career? Connecting Design and Business Through Creativity and Innovation: The 13th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, City University, London, UK, September 2011

Anthony, W., Evans, M., Rennie, A & Kirkby, E (2011) Opportunities Offered by Additive Manufacturing in Creative Businesses: A Roadmap for Designers. Connecting Design and Business Through Creativity and Innovation: The 13th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, City University, London, UK, September 2011

Cooper, R., Evans, M & Williams, A (2011) New Design Business Models: Implications for the Future of Design Management. In: The Handbook of Design Management. (eds) Cooper, R., Junginger, S & Lockwood, T, Berg Publishing

Evans, M (2011) Empathising with the Future: Creating Next-Next Generation Products and Services. The Design Journal, Special Issue: Design + Empathy, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 231-252

Jung, J., Evans, M & Cruickshank, L (2011) The Need to Develop Designerly Approaches to Identify the Core of Design. The Endless End, The 9th European Academy of Design Conference, Porto, Portugal, May 2011

Sun, Q., Williams, A & Evans, M (2011) A Theoretical Design Management Framework. The Design Journal. Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 112-132

Choi, Y., Cooper, R., Lim, S & Evans, M (2011) The Relationship Between National Policy and Industrial Development in the UK and South Korea 1940s-2000s. Design Issues, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 70-82

2010

Choi, Y., Cooper, R., Lim, S & Evans, M (2010) National Support for Design: The Development of Propositional Models. Design Management Review (Journal of Design Management Institute), Vol. 22, No. 1, Winter 2010, pp. 60-69

Lee, Y & Evans, M (2010) An Investigation into Features of Design Thinking in Fast Moving Consumer Goods Brand Development. Design Research Society Conference, Montreal, July 2010

Evans, M (2010) The Design Social: Framing Social Research Methods for Design Postgraduates. Connected 2010: International Conference on Design Education, University Of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, July 2010

Evans, M (2010) In the Year 2020: The Future of the UK Design Industry.New Design Magazine, No. 78, April 2010

Ramduny-Ellis, D., Dix, A., Evans, M., Hare, J & Gill, S (2010) Physicality in Design: An Exploration. The Design Journal, Vol. 13, No. 1, March 2010, pp. 48-76

2009

Cooper, R., Evans, M & Williams, A (eds) (2009) The Future of the UK Design Industry - An investigation into the threats and opportunities for the UK design industry over the next 10 to 15 years. Lancaster University, UK. ISBN: 978-1-86220-233-7

Williams, A., Cooper, R., Evans, M & Sun, Q (2009) 2020 Vision - The UK Design Industry 10 Years On: Implications for Design Businesses of the Future. In: Designing for the 21st Century Volume 2: Research Methods & Findings. Inns, T (ed), Gower. pp.39-54

Cruickshank, L., Mather, A & Evans, M (2009) Applied Imagination: Designing Innovative Knowledge Transfer Approaches. Innovation through Knowledge Transfer 2009, Hampton Court Palace, London, December 2009

Spruce, J & Evans, M (2009) Knowledge Networks: Academia and Industry Collaborations in Design. D2B2-Tsinghua International Design Management Symposium, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, April 2009

2008

Evans, M & Spruce, J (2008) Life After the Party: Student Experiences and Graduate Expectations. New Perspectives in Design Education, 10th Engineering and Product Design Education International Conference, Universitat Politicnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, September 2008

Cruickshank, L & Evans, M (2008) Media Communication, Consumption and Use: The Changing Role of the Designer. UNDISCIPLINED! Design Research Society Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK, June 2008

Williams, A., Sun, Q & Evans, M (2008) The Development of a Model Of Relations Within the UK Design Industry and its Implications for the Management of Design Businesses. 15th International Product Development Management Conference, Hamburg, June 2008

2007

Evans, M & Sommerville, S (2007) A Design For Life: Futures Thinking in the Design Curriculum. Futures Research Quarterly (Journal of the World Future Society), Vol. 23, No. 3, Fall 2007, pp. 05-20

Evans, M & Sommerville, S (2007) Seeing is Believing: The Challenge of Product Semantics in the Curriculum. Shaping the Future? 9th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, September 2007

Evans, M & Sommerville, S (2007) Design Led Futures: Futures Thinking in the Design Curriculum. Connected 2007: International Conference On Design Education, University Of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, July 2007

2006

Cooper, R & Evans, M (2006) Breaking From Tradition: Market Research, Consumers Needs and Design Futures. Design Management Review (Journal of Design Management Institute), Vol. 17, No. 1, Winter 2006, pp.68 -74

Evans, M & Sommerville, S (2006) Cross-cultural Universals: A Framework for Design Futures. Design and Emotion Conference 2006, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, September 2006

Evans, M & Sommerville, S (2006) Educating the Future. 8th Engineering & Product Design Education International Conference, Salzburg University Of Applied Sciences, Salzburg, Austria September 2006

Evans, M & Gill, S (2006) Rapid Development of Information Appliances: Future Approaches For Designers. 9th International Design Conference: Design 2006. University Of Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 2006

Evans, M (2006) Understanding the User: Utilising Video Ethnography to Inform Scenario Planning. Technological Innovations in Product Development: International Symposium series on Tools and Methods of Competitive Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 2006

2005

Evans, M, Cooper, R & Hall, N (2005) Tales of the Unexpected: Understanding Emergence and Its Relationship to Design. In: Computational and Cognitive Models of Creative Design VI, Gero, J & Maher, L (eds), University of Sydney, Australia

Evans, M, & Somerville, S (2005) Designing Tomorrow: A Methodology for Future Orientated Product Design. Global Chinese Industrial Design Conference 2005, Chang Gung University, Taiwan, November 2005

Somerville, S & Evans, M (2005) Shaping the Future: How Can Designers Engage with User Perceptions in Future Orientated Product Design?International Design Congress 2005, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, November 2005

Chisholm, J & Evans, M (2005) Knowledge Transfer for Innovation and its Practical Application. Design for Entrepreneurship: Design for Innovation Conference, Vaxjo University, Sweden, October 2005

Evans, M & Spruce, J (2005) Knowledge Networks: Collaboration between Industry and Academia in Design. 3rd Engineering & Product Design Education International Conference, Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland, September 2005

Evans, M & Cooper, R (2005) Tales of Design and Emergence. Design Communication Emergence: Design Consequences and Design Teams, Manchester University, UK, September 2005

Evans, M (2005) I-SPY: Utilising Forecasting and Scenario Planning for Design Futures. European Academy of Design Conference, University of the Arts, Bremen, Germany, March 2005

2004

Evans, M (2004) A Design Approach to Trends and Forecasting. Future Ground: Design Research Society International Conference, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, November 2004

Evans, M & Waterworth, S (2004) Industrial Collaboration and its Importance to Ensuring Currency of Design Education. The Changing Face of Design Education: 2nd International Engineering and Product Design Education Conference, TUDelft, Delft, The Netherlands, September 2004

2003

Evans, M (2003) Trends Forecasting for Design Futures. European Academy of Design Conference, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, April 2003

2002

Evans, M (2002) New Vision of Mobile Media: Culture and Interaction. Samsung Global Industrial Academic Programme, Samsung Art & Design Institute, Seoul, Korea, October 2002

External Roles

Current External Examinerships

• Cardiff Metropolitan University: MSc Advanced Product Design; MDes Design (2009-13)
• De Montfort University: MA Design Innovation; MA Design Management; MA Fashion Management (2010-14)

Previous External Examinerships

• Glasgow Caledonian University: BA (Hons) International Product Design (2007-12)
• Swansea Metropolitan University: BA/BSc (Hons) Product Design (2008-12)
• University of Central Lancashire: BA/BSc (Hons) Product Design; MA Toy Design (2006-10)
• University of Bolton: Product Design undergraduate portfolio; MSc Computer Aided Product Development (2004-09)

• University of East London: Chief Examiner, Product Design undergraduate portfolio (2002-07)

Additional Information

Guest Lectures and Invited Talks

I have delivered guest lectures and/or supervised design projects at the following institutions:

• Brunel University (2011)
• University of Bradford (2002 & 2003)
• University of Dundee (2008)
• Ecole Internationale de Design, Toulon, France (2006)
• Liverpool John Moores University (2010 & 2011)
• Oxford Brookes University (2010)
• University of Salford (2007, 2009, 2010 & 2011)
• University of Wales Institute Cardiff (2004, 2006, & 2007)